Books on Justice & Injustice

James Baldwin said, "It is certain, in any case, that ignorance, allied with power, is the most ferocious enemy justice can have." In this collection, we've compiled texts that explore the idea of what justice is — and how it can thrive.

Publication year 2023

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Past, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Christian literature, Religion / Spirituality, Self Help


Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Memory

Tags Historical Fiction, Grief / Death, Social Justice, Korean Literature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, History: World


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags History: World, Arts / Culture, Historical Fiction, Race / Racism


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Language, Natural World: Climate, Relationships: Family, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Survival Fiction, LGBTQ


Publication year 2000

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Realistic Fiction, Race / Racism, Social Justice, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2014

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Family

Tags Gender / Feminism, Education, Women's Studies (Nonfiction)


Publication year 2017

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Race / Racism, Black Arts Movement, Existentialism, History: World, Social Justice, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government, Biography

I Am Not Your Negro by James Baldwin and Raoul Peck is an accompanying text to the 2016 documentary of the same name, directed by Peck. The documentary was released to critical acclaim. It won Best Documentary award at the BAFTA Film Awards and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. The text is essentially a transcript of the film, incorporating excerpts of interviews, television features, and films.I Am Not Your Negro... Read I Am Not Your Negro Summary


Publication year 1964

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Politics / Government, History: African , Race / Racism, History: World


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Mental Illness


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Indigenous, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Realistic Fiction, Parenting, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction


Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Objects, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags History: World, Action / Adventure, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction


Publication year 2024

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction


Publication year 1947

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: War

Tags History: European, Incarceration, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Italian Literature

If This Is a Man is a Holocaust memoir written by Primo Levi, first published by the small publishing house Francesco de Silva in 1947. The text was out of print by 1952. In June 1958, however, the publisher Enaudi, which had previously rejected the manuscript, republished it with slight revisions, and translations began to appear. Re-publication secured Levi’s status as a canonical writer of the Holocaust.This study guide refers to the English translation of... Read If This Is a Man Summary


Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: War

Tags Romance, Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Society: Class

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1987

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Magical Realism, Historical Fiction, Military / War, Education, Education, History: World

Imagining Argentina (1987) is a fantasy novel by American author Lawrence Thornton. Set against the backdrop of Argentina’s Dirty War, Imagining Argentina centers Carlos Rueda, a Buenos Aires native whose supernatural abilities grant him insight into the fates of Argentina’s disappeared. The novel’s complicated consideration of power, memory, and authoritarianism has been critically acclaimed, earning a nomination for the PEN/Faulkner Award in Fiction. Thornton would later expand the story into two succeeding novels, Naming the... Read Imagining Argentina Summary


Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Fairy Tale / Folklore, Asian Literature, Romance, Fantasy


Publication year 1899

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Politics & Government, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Historical Fiction, African American Literature, Race / Racism, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Education, Education, American Literature, Classic Fiction

Imperium in Imperio (1899) is a historical-fiction novel by social activist Sutton E. Griggs. Imperium in Imperio explores the idea of a Black utopia, wherein Black Americans form a shadow government to seize control of the state of Texas and form their own nation. In the late-19th and early-20th centuries, the novel was sold door-to-door in Black communities and was largely unknown to the white population, ultimately garnering little notoriety upon its original publication. However... Read Imperium in Imperio Summary


Publication year 1982

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Community, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity

Tags Psychology, Gender / Feminism, Philosophy, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Sociology, Science / Nature, Psychology, Philosophy


Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Incarceration

Incarceron (2007) is a young adult dystopian science fiction novel by Catherine Fisher. One protagonist, Finn, is incarcerated in a high-tech, sentient prison, and the other, Claudia, is the Warden’s daughter. While Finn tries to escape Incarceron, Claudia rebels against the Realm’s restrictive laws, which outlaw modern technologies and knowledge. She also endeavors to free herself from an arranged marriage to a boy she hates. The novel explores the true meaning of freedom, the dangers... Read Incarceron Summary